Roller skate



June 28, 1938. A. F. kAPTULLER 2,122,066

ROLLER SKATE cmmeys.h

Jufle 28, 1938. A' F KAPTULLER 2,122,066

ROLLER SKATE Filed July 23, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented `lune 28,1938 PATENT OFFICEv ROLLER Alexander F. Kaptuller, Chicago, 1li.,assigner to Allied Engineering Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation ofIllinois Application July 23, 1936, Serial No. 92,078

11 Claims.

My invention relates to roller skates and it has vfor its object theprovision of a new and improved form and arrangement of parts by which amaximum of strength is provided by the use of a minis mum amount ofmetal and whereby the manufacture, plating and assembly of the parts maybe eiected with the least trouble and expense.

Itis one of the objects of my invention to provide an improved resilientmounting for the axle l by which. the supporting wheels of the skate areconnected with the framework,` and to provide an improved arrangement ofconnecting means between the frame and the outside sleeve forming a partof such resilient mounting. It is another object of my invention toprovide an improved arrangement of extension bar and associated parts bywhich the toe plate and the heel plate of the framework are adjustablyconnected together, whereby an easy adjustment may be ef- 2 fected andwhereby great strength shall be provided by the use of a comparativelysmall amount of metal. More speciiically, it is one of the objects ofthe invention to provide an improved arrangement of axle mounting meansand its connection with the frame by means of brackets all arranged incombination with an extension bar which is adapted by cooperation withthe brackets to serve effectively for extension purposes while soserving automatically to hold the front and rear portions of the frameinthe desired angular adjustment with respect toeach other. Y

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved arrangementof bracket means by which a downwardly open channel is formed, the sheetmetal forming the top wall of the channel being curved l'downwardly soas to close one end of the channel and serving thus to give the channela high degree of strength with respect to transverse pressure thereon.Another object is to provide a channel as above specified with the wallportions in angular relationship to eachothersoastoenableanextensionbarofsimilar shape to provide substantialtransverse reinforoe- 45 ment, strengthening ribs being provided in theupper portions of the brackets merging at theirlower ends into the wallsof the channel.

- It is a further object of my invention to im#`ggtersPatentissetforthintheclaims.

(Cl. ZBO-11.26)

In the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a side view of the preferred form of my improved roller skate,with the near wheels removed and the corresponding portions of the axlesbroken away for clearness of illustration; 5

Fig. 2 is a rear end view of the skate as seen from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the skate as seen from the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4' is a horizontal sectional view taken at 1c line 4-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the axlemounting means at one end of the skate, with parts broken away forclearness of illustration; 1s

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the axle and itsimmediately associated parts removed representing an intermediate stepin the assembly of the parts;

Fig. 'T is a perspective view of one of the brack- 20 ets at the frontend of the skate;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the brackets at the rear end ofthe skate; and Fig. 9 is a vertical cross section on an enlarged scaletaken at line l-l of Fig. 1. 25

' Referring now to the several gures of the drawings in whichcorresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, i5indicates the heel plate forming a part of the' framey work of theskate. being provided with an upstanding flange Il as usual at its rearend portion and being provided with downwardly extending anges I1 alongits side edges. as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. The heel plate Il isconnected with supporting wheels Il of any approved type carried by anaxle bolt Il bymeans of suitable connecting parts as hereinafterdescribed cooperating with brackets 20 and-2 I, as is clearly shown inF18. 2.

The bracket 2l is shown. in Fig. 8, the other 40 bracket 2l beingsimilar except that they are reversely formed for use at opposite sides.As shown in Fig. 8, the bracket 2l comprises a vertically disposed plateportion 22 having a transversely disposed ilange portion 2l` at itsupper45 edge. The two brackets 24 and 2l are secured to the bottom face ofthe transverse frame or heel plate i8. being securely welded at severalplaces to the plate Il and also to each other at points along thevertical plate or web portions 22v which 50 stand in face to faceengagement with each other.

At a distance below the ilanges 23, each of the brackets lis oifsetoutwardly so as to provide a downwardly open channel portion 24 the topwall portions 2! at opposite sides of the channel pross viding outwardlyfacing shoulders, strengthening ribs 25 being pressed in the verticalplate or web portions 22 from the upper edges of such vertical I plateportions and extending downwardly atan angle so as to merge into the topwall portions as is clearly shown in Fig. 8. At their forward ends, thebrackets are provided with overlapping lugs 21 and 28, see Fig. 9. whichare effectively connected together as hereinafter described forreinforcing the structure. At their lower edges, each of the brackets 2land 2|` is provided with a downwardly extending arm 23 which is providedwith a collar formed integrally therewith, the two collars 30 of the twobrackets being opposltely disposed in axially aligned position withrespect to each other. Each of. the brackets is provided at its loweredge with an inwardly extending ange 3l which is continued downwardlyalong the front face of the arm 28 to a point adjacent the collar 38.

At the forward end o'f the skate, a toe plate 32 is provided havingdownwardly extending anges 33 along its side portions and a downwardlyextending flange 34 across the front end. The transverse frame or toeplate 32 is supported by wheels 35 of any suitable type mounted upon anaxle bolt 35 connected with the toe plate 32 by means as hereinafterdescribed comprising brackets 31 and 38 as is best shown in Fig. 3.

7 5 together by means of a metal sleeve 41 which isy The brackets 31 and38 are arranged in general similarity to the brackets 2li and 2|, thetwo brackets 31 and 38 being similar to each other except for reversedarrangement for enabling them to be used at opposite sides incooperation with each other. As is best shown in Fig. 7, each of thebrackets 31 and 3l comprises a vertically disposed plate portion 3lprovided at its upper edge with a transversely disposed flange 4I, thetwo brackets 31 and 38 being secured to the toe plate by means of theanges 48 which are: securely welded at various points to the bottom faceof said plate 32, the vertical plate portions 3l of the two bracketsbeing firmly secured together at a plurality of points preferably bywelding. Below the vertical plate portions 38, the two brackets areoffset outwardly so as to provide a downwardly open channel. the topwall portion 4I of the channel at each side being disposed substantiallyparallel with the flange 4l and beingI braced strongly with respectthereto-by means of ribs 42 pressed in the vertical plate portions 38extending downwardly therein from the upper edge of the vertical plateportions and merging at their lower ends into the top plate portions 4 IAs is best shown in Fig. 7, the top plate portion 4| of each of thebrackets is curved downwardly at the forward end of the bracket so as toclose the front-end of the channel transversely serving thus tostrengthen the channel formation greatly with respect to transversepressure thereon, the curved shoulder portion by which the closure ofthe channel is effected being formed in a downwardly extending arm 43.At its lower end, the arm 43 of each of the brackets is provided with anoutwardly extending collar 44 formed integrally with the arm, thecollars 44 of the two brackets being oppositely disposed in axialaugment with each other.- At their rear ends. the bracket members 31 and38 are provided with overlapping lugs 45 and 45 which are rigidlyconnected together by means of a bolt as hereinafter described, lthebracket members being thus strongly reinforced with respect to eachother.

The brackets 20 and 2l are further connected inserted within the alignedcollars 3l being secured ilrmly in position therein by means ofspotwelding or in any other suitable manner. The sleeve 41 is preferablyrolled out of at stock and is provided at .one end with an inwardlyturned flange 48, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6, the opposite end of thesleeve 41 initially being left open in cylindrical form as shown in Fig.6. In the formation of the skate, the transverse frame or heel plate I5,the brackets 2li and 2| and the sleeve 41 are ilrst rmly securedtogether by spot-I welding with the sleeve 41 in the condition shown inFig. 6. .The transverse frame or toe plate 32, thebrackets 31 and 38,and a sleeve 41 such as that shown in Fig. 6 are likewise rmly securedtogether preferably by spot-welding with such sleeve 41 in positionwithin the collars 44. The parts are then in condition for plating whichis preferably effected at this stage of the assembly.

After"th'e two units comprising the end portions of the framework areplated, each of the sleeves 41 is provided with an assembly such as thatshown in Fig. 5 comprising a rubber sleeve 48 having an axle member 50mounted therein also in the form of a Vsleeve having its middle portionexpanded into the form of a ball as indicated at 5|.'the conformation ofthe rubber of the sleeve 48 being such that the rubber when held againstradial expansion serves enectively for preventing the withdrawal of theaxle member 5t. The end portions of the sleeve 48 however are flared soas to enable the axle member 5l to have free swinging movement withrespect to the sleeve 41 about the ball 5i as a fulcrum. 'I'he axlemember 58 is preferably formed out of dat stock and is of a size toreceive snugly the axle bolts Il for mounting the wheels I8 in positionthereon. After the .sleeves 58 and 48 have vbeen inserted into positionwithin the sleeves 41,

the end portions of the sleeves 41 are turned inwardly in the form of aflange 52 corr the sleeve 41.

For connecting the end portions of the framework of the skate, I haveprovided an extension bar 53 in the form of a downwardly open channel,the channel bar 53 being of a size and shape to t snugly within thedownwardly open channels of the brackets so as to hold the end portionsof the framework in the desired alignment independently of the extensionbar being fastened so as to prevent sliding movement thereof withrespect to the channels of the framework. As is clearly shown in Fig. 9,the lower edges of' the side portions of the channel bar 53 abut againstthe flanges 3i of thechannel 24. In like manner the side portions of thebar 53 abut against inwardly extending anges 31a formed on the loweredges of the brackets 31 and 38. The relation is such, by reason of thesnug ilt of the extension bar 53 within the channels of the framework,that the extension bar reinforces the framework strongly with respect tolateral pressure on the channel portions of the framework..

vthe usualadjusting screw member 8i which has a bearing in notches l!formed in the lower edge portions of the vertically disposed plates I!of the brackets, as is clearly shown in Figs. l and 7. In thearrangement shown, the brackets are extended' forwardly beyond thenotches 02, being' provided at their ends with outwardly extendingilange portions 63 which are welded or otherwise ilrmly secured to thebottom face of the toe plate 32 for strengthening the frameconstruction.

By the use of my improved arrangement, I am enabled to form the parts ofmy improved skate very readily upon automatic machinery and am enabledvery readily and rapidly to assemble the parts into the nnal form. Thearrangement is such that the various parts rein-f force each other so asto produce a maximum of strength by the use of a minimum amount ofmaterial whereby I am enabled to keep the weight of the nnished skatedown to a reasonable limit.

While I p refer to employ the form and arrangement of parts as shown inmy drawings and as above described, it is to be understood that myinvention is not limited thereto except so far as the narrower claimsmay be so limited in terms, it being understood that changes might wellbe madel in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing frommy invention.

I claimzv 1. In a roller skate, the vcombination of a transverse frameplate, two sheet metal brackets secured to the bottom face of said frameplate and having webvportions extending downwardly therefrom oppositeeach other and secured together and portions below said web portions andoifset outwardly with respect to each other,l

and then extending downwardly soas to provide in eifect a downwardlyopen channel, anl extension bar slidably mounted in said channel, andmeans rigidly connected with said brackets and extending across belowsaid extension bar for supporting an axle transversely of the framework.

2. In 'a `roller skate, the combination ot a transverse frame plate, twosheet metal brackets secured to thev bottom face'oi' said frame plateand extending downwardly therefrom opposite each other -and oifsetoutwardly with respect to each other so as to provide in effect adownwardly open channel, an extension bar slidably mounted in saidchannel, transversely positioned and allgnedcollars on said bracketsbelow said extension bar, and means for supporting an axle transverselyof the framework from said collars comprising a sleeve' mounting in saidcollars vand rigidly secured thereto.

g 3. In a roller skate, the combination of two transverse frame plates,two pairs of sheet metal brackets secured to the'bottom faces of saidframe plates respectively with the brackets of `each pair havingportions extending downwardly opposite each other and secured togetherand portions therebelow offset outwardly with respect to each other soas toprovide in enect a downwardly open channel. an extension barslidably mounted in said channelsy serving to hold said transverse trameplates in substantial alignment with each other at .adjusted positionsapart. and means said extension bar for supporting an axle transverselyof the framework.

4. In a roller skate, .the combination of. two transverse frame plates,two pairs of sheet metal brackets secured to the bottom faces of saidframe plates respectively with the brackets of each pair having portionsextending downwardly opposite each other and secured together andportions therebelow oifset outwardly with respect to each yother so asto provide in effect a downwardly open channel, an extension bar in theform of a downwardly open channel member slidably mounted in'said firstnamed channels serving to hold said transverse frame plates insubstantial alignment with each other at adjusted distances apart, andmeans rigidly connected with the brackets of each of said pairs ofbrackets extending across below said extension bar for supporting anaxle transversely of the framework.

5. In agroller skate, the combination of two transverse frame plates,two pairs of sheet metal brackets secured to the bottom faces of saidframe plates respectively with the brackets of each pair extendingdownwardly opposite each other and oil'set outwardly with respect toeach other so as to provide in eect a downwardly open channel, anextension bar slidably mounted in said channels serving to hold saidtransverse frame plates in substantial alignment with each other at ad-Justed positions apart, transversely positioned and aligned collars onthe brackets cf each of said pairs oi' brackets below said extensionbar, a vsleeve rigidly secured in the collars of each Apairof brackets.and means carried by said sleeves for supporting two axles in parallelposition below said extension bar. 1

6. In a roller skate, the combination of a transverse frame plate, twosheet metal brackets. secured to the bottom face of s aid frame plateand having portions extending downwardly therefrom' opposite each otherand secured together and portions therebelow oiset outwardly withrespect to each other so as to provide in effect a downwardly openchannel, an extension barv slidably mounted in said channel, inwardlydirected anges on the lower edges of the side portions of said channelfor holding said extension bar slidably in position, and' means rigidlyconnected with said brackets and extending across below said extensionbar for supporting an axle transversely of lthe framework.

'7. Ina roller skate, the combination of a transverse frame plate, twosheet metal brackets secured to the bottom face of said frame plate andextending downwardly therefrom opposite each other and oil'set outwardlywith respect to each other so as to provide in effect a downwardly openchannel, an extension bar slidably mounted the bar slidably in positionin the channel, a

sleeve rigidly secured in said collars. and means carried by said sleevefor supporting an axle transversely of the framework.

8. In a roller skate, the combinationy of a transverse frame plate, twosheet metal brackets secured to the bottom face of said frame plate andextending downwardly therefrom opposite each other and oii'set outwardlywith respect to each other so asto provide infeflect a down-7s Cilwardly open channel, transversely extending lugs carrled'by saidbrackets and overlapping each other, an extension bar slidably mountedin said channel. a bolt extending through openings in said lugs and saidextension bar for securing the bar rigidly in position with respect tosaid brackets. and means rigidly connected with said brackets andextending across below said extension bar for supporting an'axletransversely of the framework.

9. In a roller skate, the combination of a transverse frame plate, twosheet metal brackets se.- cured to the bottom face of said frame plateand extending downwardly therefrom opposite each other and oii'setoutwardly with respect to each other providing downwardly facingshoulders forming the top wall portion of a downwardly open channel,said shoulders being curved downwardly so as to close the channel at oneend whereby the channel is substantially strengthened transversely, anextension bar slidably mounted in said channel, and means rigidlyconnected with said brackets and extending across below said extensionbar for supporting an axle transversely of the framework.

10. In -a roller skate, the combination of a transverse frame plate, twosheet metal brackets secured to the bottom face of said frame plate andextending downwardly therefrom oppomte each other and offset outwardlywith respect to each other providing downwardly facing shoulders formingthe top wall portion of a downwardly open channel. said shoulders beingcurved downwardly so as to close the channel at one end whereby thechannel is substantially strengthened transversely, each of saidbrackets having a strengthening rib pressed therein extending downwardlyfrom the upper edge ofthe bracket and merging into said shoulder at itslower end, an extension bar slidably mounted in said channel. and meansrigidly connected with said brackets and extending across below saidextension bar for supporting an axle transversely of the framework.

' 11. Ina roller skate, the combination oi' a transverse frame plate,two sheet metal brackets secured to the bottom face of said frame plateand extending downwardly therefrom opposite eachother and offsetoutwardly with respect to each other providing downwardly facingshoulders forming the top wall portion of a downwardly open channel,each of said brackets having a strengthening rib pressed thereinextending downwardly from the upper edge of the bracket and merging intosaid shoulder at its lower end, an extension bar slidably mounted insaid channel and adapted to engage the wall portions of the channel, andmeans rigidly connected with said brackets and extending across belowsaid extension bar for supporting an axle transversely. of theframework.

ALEXANDER F. KAPTULLER.

